Analyzing Beliefs and Coordination in Nascent Policy Subsystems

Abstract

Now and then, new issues arrive on the public agenda, such as a sudden health crisis or a disruptive technology. These issues get media attention, and the political actors start thinking about how to best address them. Following the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF), such situations can be grasped through the concept of nascent subsystems, which contrast with mature subsystems that have been around for some time and that deal with established issues. Over time, nascent subsystems can develop into autonomous subsystems, or they can be absorbed by an already mature subsystem.